Nicodemmus Born Again Like the Wind
Throughout his ministry, Jesus oft butted heads with the stubborn and legalistic Pharisees. His message, which stood in directly opposition to their power and principles, centered effectually a spiritual transformation of the heart, not a captious adherence to the law.
To experience salvation and truly meet the kingdom of God at work in one's life, Jesus taught that we must bandage aside the quondam, sinful life to become new creations—transformed, renewed, and reformed by the God's grace, not personal works.
Jesus would afterwards say that we must be "built-in again."
This idea of being "built-in again" (one of the most powerful and prevalent themes in the Christian organized religion) actually emerged from a conversation with a Pharisee. In John 3, Nicodemus—a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council—came to Jesus at dark with a seeker'south middle and a question regarding the deeper pregnant of salvation.
Jesus' answer would not only change his life; it would alter the lives of future Christians and agreeing seekers forever.
Who was Nicodemus in the Bible?
Nicodemus, a proper noun in Greek which means, "victory of the people," was a member of the Sanhedrin, a regional body of religious leaders and Jewish scholars charged with handling matters of Jewish police force and faith. As a fellow member of this body, Nicodemus would take been a well-educated, privileged, and influential human, responsible for knowing about any instructor or public figure who might lead the people off-target.
One night, Nicodemus came to Jesus in individual to ask about things he had heard and seen. Some believe that he came as a spy for the Sanhedrin, looking to notice the nature of Jesus' ministry or trap him in an answer that could exist used against him in the courts. While this couldprovide an explanation for Nicodemus's motivations, there is not enough bear witness in the text to support this theory.
As a previously published Christianity.com article explains, the fact that he came to Jesus in private, rather than challenging him publicly, equally other Pharisees had ofttimes done, might reveal more than about his eye and possible motivation.
Everything we know near Nicodemus comes from John's gospel. What we read in John 3 is that Nicodemus came to Jesus, starting the conversation with a statement, not a question:
"Rabbi, nosotros know that You lot have come up from God equally a teacher, for no i tin can exercise these signs that You do unless God is with him."(John 3:2)
Nicodemus, at the very least, was different than about Pharisees in that he acknowledged Jesus' authority and divine wisdom from the kickoff. He may not have been an outright believer or follower of Jesus (at the time), only he could not argue confronting what he had seen and heard.
Every bit Matthew Henry writes in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "his (Jesus') miracles were his credentials."
Nicodemus had witnessed the miracles of Jesus and heard his teachings. Now he sought answers and came when he knew he could speak to Jesus i-on-1.
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What Did Nicodemus Ask Jesus and Why?
To Nicodemus' initial statement, Jesus responded, "truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born over again, he cannot run into the kingdom of God" (John 3:2).
This response clearly befuddled the inquisitive Pharisee, who apace asked, "how tin a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be built-in, can he?"(John three:iv)
Nicodemus would enquire a very logical question to clarify a very spiritual truth.
In his heed, it didn't make sense how a person could be built-in a second fourth dimension or how 1 would return to their mother's womb to do so. In purely physical terms, he was right. It isn't possible. Just the mysteries of God and the wonders of His kingdom are not always apparent or understood in purely literal or physical terms.
In fact, to the earthly heed, the wonders of God often seem like foolishness. Nicodemus would soon discover that beingness "born again" has zip to do with physical rebirth.
Matthew Henry writes, that "such is the nature of the kingdom of God (in which Nicodemus desired to be instructed) that the soul must be re-modelled and moulded, the natural man must become a spiritual man, before he is capable of receiving and understanding them."
Even prior to Jesus, Scripture spoke of the depth and mysteries of the Creator:
- "Call to me and I will answer you lot, and will tell you swell and hidden things that you take not known."(Jeremiah 33:iii)
- "Information technology is the celebrity of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out."(Proverbs 25:2)
- "Tin you lot find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than the heaven – what can you do? Deeper than Sheol – what tin you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea."(Job 11:seven-9)
God, in His infinite power and divine wisdom, is often shrouded in mystery across the scope of human understanding. This does not mean that He cannot exist known or has intentionally subconscious himself from the world. To empathise the divine nature of God, withal, we must seek out divine wisdom and allow ourselves to be "transformed by the renewing of our minds." (Romans 12:two)
In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus said that, "unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the mankind is mankind, and what which is built-in of the Spirit is spirit."(John 3:v-six)
Nicodemus' inability to understand what Jesus meant demonstrated Jesus' betoken perfectly.
Built-in of flesh, the human listen cannot grasp the mysteries of the kingdom of God or understand the fullness of God. This level of understanding can only come from a spiritual transformation and re-forging of a mind that is fabricated new or "born again" through Christ.
This is why the Pharisees oft struggled to understand or have the bulletin and ministry building of Jesus. They were as well entrenched in their ways and reliant on their political power and influence to take any kind of spiritual transformation or philosophical give up.
They were the religious elite and thrived on the public's perception of them existence the ultimate intellectual dominance in spiritual matters. But earthly influence and political status are irrelevant in the kingdom of God.
"To be built-in again is to be born of the Spirit" (Matthew Henry). This was something the Pharisees but could non fathom.
What Does Nicodemus Demonstrate near Faith?
Nicodemus, however, came curious and eager to larn more about Jesus' teachings. His center had been stirred and listen challenged, and every bit is true to Scripture, those who seek the Lord and answers to the mysteries of his kingdom will not be disappointed (Jeremiah 29:13, Deuteronomy 4:29, Luke 11:ix).
While Jesus may have gently admonished Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, for his initial ignorance, asking, "are you the instructor of State of israel and do not understand these things?"(John iii:ix), he all the same guided him to understanding with a reference to Old Testament narrative that pointed to his eventual sacrifice.
"As Moses lifted up the ophidian in the wilderness, however must the Son of Human being exist lifted upwardly, and so that whoever believes will in Him take eternal life."(John 3:14-15)
The conversation betwixt Jesus and Nicodemus conspicuously planted the seed for Nicodemus' ain spiritual transformation.
Some have noted that Nicodemus came to Jesus discretely and by night. It is possible that he didn't want others to know of this meeting, to the lowest degree of all the Pharisees, and that he may have tried to keep his emerging organized religion hidden from the earth out of fear of public scrutiny. That would before long change.
Nicodemus after would publicly defend Jesus when the Pharisees questioned whether or not to seize Jesus (John 7:51). And even later on Jesus' death, Nicodemus was seen, forth with Joseph of Arimathea, bringing myrrh and spices to the tomb of Jesus after he had been crucified (John xix:39).
As Matthew Henry writes, "though now he came by night, afterward he owned Christ publicly."
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Why Does the Bible Address Being Born Again?
Jesus spoke of being "born over again" to explain what must happen in the heart, mind, and soul of the believer who is transformed past the grace and forgiveness of God. Nativity is the beginning of all life, and to be built-in of the Spirit, ane must beginning at the human foot of the cross.
John the Baptist heralded Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and equally Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Our sometime, sinful life died with Christ. New life is built-in of His resurrection. Every bit Matthew Henry writes, to be born again, "we must take a new nature, new principles, new affections, new aims."
Reborn in Christ, everything must suit to His paradigm and will. In Him, nosotros are given fresh optics, fresh motivations, a fresh middle, and a fresh start.
Nicodemus discovered something virtually the mysteries of God and significant of salvation in his conversation with Jesus. Not long after Jesus talked of beingness born again, he delivered one of the nigh famous passages of Scripture, one which encapsulated the entirety of the Gospel.
"For God so loved the globe, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall non perish, just accept eternal life."(John 3:16)
The spiritual rebirth and new life offered through the grace of Jesus Christ is more than than just a quick fix to an earthly sickness. Information technology is a spiritual cure that allows us to experience and enjoy a spiritual eternity with Christ. The Pharisees had sadly fallen into the trap of legalism, and in doing so, missed the centre of God in Christ.
Thankfully, Nicodemus' seeking centre overcame his earthly training and the narrow-mindedness of his spiritual colleagues.
As information technology says in Jeremiah, "y ou will seek me and notice me when you lot seek me with all your heart"(Jeremiah 29:13); and Nicodemus did indeed find Him. It seems that the all-time fashion to understand what information technology means to be "born once more" is to experience it for oneself, and that is certainly proven in the life and transformation of Nicodemus.
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Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-does-nicodemus-know-about-being-born-again.html
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